Embedment anchor



May 1, 1962 A. M. FEILER EMBEDMENT ANCHOR Filed y 11, 1960 INVENTOR.

ALFRED M. FEILER ATTORNEY 3,032,000 EMBEDMENT ANCHOR Alfred M. Feiler,Palisades, Calif-Z, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Pneumo DynamicsCorporation, Clevelaud, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed July 11,1960, Ser. No. 42,137 20 Claims. (Cl. 114-206) This invention relates toanchors and more particularly to a new and improved embedment anchor inwhich an explosive charge is used to drive the anchor into the oceanbottom or the like so that the anchor has a high holding power.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a new andimproved lightweight embedment anchor.

It is another important object of this invention to provide an embedmentanchor having means to stabilize the anchor during its lowering into thewater and to provide a large reaction force during the embedment anchoroperation.

It is another important object of this invention to provide an improvedignition system for an embedment anchor which insures that the anchorwill not be detonated until a minimum water depth is reached.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a lightweightembedment anchor which incorporates a conical rearward section toprovide stability during the lowering of the anchor to the ocean bottomand also to provide improved reaction characteristics during theembedment operation.

Further objects and advantages will appear from the followingdescription and drawings wherein FIGURE 1 is a side elevation partiallyin longitudinal section illustrating the preferred structure of anembedment anchor incorporating this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the anchor illustrating the arming devicewhich prevents the anchor from becoming armed until it has reached apre-determined water depth.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevation in longitudinal sectionillustrating the positionof the ignition mechanism when the propellantcharge is fired, and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view partially in longitudinal section takenalong a plane perpendicular to the plane of FIGURE 3.

An embedment anchor according to this invention includes a propulsionmeans operable to embed the anchor in the bottom of a body of water andhas the advantage of providing large anchoring forces with a relativelylightweight structure. The anchor is provided with safety means toinsure that the propellant charge used to embed the anchor is notignited before the anchor is lowered to a predetermined depth in thewater. It also has a United States Patent firing mechanism which isinsensitive to water pressure so that it will only ignite the propellantcharge upon engagement of the anchor with the ocean bottom.

Referring to FIGURE 1 the embedment anchor includes an anchoringassembly 10 and a reaction assembly 11. The anchor assembly includes atubular body 12 with a fuse body 13 threaded into one end thereof. Acartridge assembly 14 is formed with a flange 16 clamped against ashoulder 17 on the body 12 by a firing pin guide 18 and the fuse body1%. The propellant charge 19 is [located in the cartridge 14 and is heldin place by a series of diaphragm members 21.

A nose member 212 is mounted on the forward end of the fuse body 13 andoperates to release a firing pin 23 upon engagement with the floor ofthe body of water such as the ocean or a lake. A latch tube 24 ismounted on the nose member 22 by a cross pin 26 and extends into acentral bore 27 formed in the-fuse body 13. A

3,032,000 Patented May 1, 1962 latch block 28 is located within thelatch tube 24 and is axially fixed relative to the fuse body by crosspins 29 illustrated in FIGURE 4. The latch tube 24 is formed withopposed elongated slots 31 through which the cross pins 29'project;therefore, the latch block is axially fixed in the fuse body 13 and thelatch tube is axially movable through a limited distance determined bythe length of the slots 31. A spring 32 extends between the latch block28 and a shoulder 33 on the latch tube 24 and biases the nose membertoward an extended position shown in FIGURE 1. o

A pair of opposed finger lock elements 34 are pivotally mounted on thelatch block 28 at 36 and are formed with locking projections 37proportioned to engage a shoulder 38 on the firing pin =23 and securethe firing pin in the cocked position shown in FIGURE 1. The inner endof the latch tube 24 engages the finger lock elements and preventsradial movement thereof to release the firing pin 23 when the latch tubeis in the forward or extended position shown in FIGURE 1. Elongatedslots 39 are formed in the latch tube 24 to receive each of the fingerlock elements 34. However, the slots 39 do not extend to the inner endof the latch tube so that the finger lock elements are retained in theirlocked position until the latch tube moves inward under the influence ofengagement with the ocean bottom. A compression spring 41 extendsbetween the shoulder 38 and the latch block 28 and urges the firing pininto engagement with the locking projections 37 and provides the forceto drive the firing pin against the cartridge 14 when the firing mecha--nism is operated. V

A propeller wheel or ring 42 is threaded onto the fuse body 13 and ismovable between the locked position of FIGURE 1 and the releasedposition of FIGURES 3 and 4. The propeller wheel 42 when in the lockedposition engages the rearward end of the nose member 22 and preventsaccidental firing of the propellant charge. To maintain the propellerwheel in the forward or locked position during the shipboard handling ofthe anchor a guard ring'43 is mountedon the fuse body 13 which seatsagainst a shoulder 44. The guard ring 43 is 21 segmented two piececup-shaped stamping held in place by a spring clip 46. When the anchoris to be operated the spring clip 46 is removed and the guard ring fallsaway. The anchor is then lowered into the water causing the propellerwheel 24 to rotate due to movement of the anchor through the water. Thisthreads the propeller wheel 42 back along the fuse body 13 until itengages the shoulder44. The fins 45 prevent rotation of the anchor. Atthis time the device is armed so that it can be fired by engagement withthe ocean bottom. The length of the thread connecting the propellerwheel 42 with the fuse body 13 is arranged so that a pre-determineddepth will be reached before the anchor can be fired. This prevents theoperator from being injured by a premature ignition of the propellantcharge. Preferably, the propeller wheel 42 is formed of a light materialwhich will shear off or bend back along the fuse body 13 during theembedment operation of the anchor reducing the resistance to embedment.Y

The reaction assembly 11 includes a plunger 47 which extends'into thetubular body 12 and is provided with a sealed head portion 48 adjacentto the propellant charge 19. Mounted on the outer or rearward end of theplunger 47 is a conical reaction member 49. The plunger 47 is connectedto the reaction member 49 by a cross pin 51 which also secures thereaction assembly to the tubular body 12. When the propellant charge 19is ignited it produces sufficient force to shear the cross pin 51 at theplanes between the reaction member 49 and the tubular body permittingseparation of the anchor assembly from the reaction assembly 11. Theforward face of the reaction member 49 engages a shoulder 52 on theplunger 47 to absorb the thrust of the propellant charge so the portionof the cross pin 51 connecting the plunger 47 and the reaction member49* does not shear. The cross pin 51 also connects a cable fitting 53 towhich a cable 54 is connected for lowering the anchor into the water.The cable 54 is also connected by a slack cable illustratedschematically by the dotted line 56 to a cable mounting projection 57intermediate the ends of the tubular body 12. The slack cable is longenough to permit the anchor assembly 10 to separate from the reactionassembly and embed itself in the bottom and is normally loosely loopedand wired to the tubular body 12 by a light wire which breaks during theembedment operation. After embedment the anchoring force is transmittedthrough the slack cable 56 directly to the cable 54.

The use of a conical reaction member greatly improves the performance ofthe anchor because it provides stability as the anchor is being loweredinto the water and improves the reaction characteristics of the reactionassembly when the propellant charge is fired. Not only does the conicalreaction member resist backward movement of the reaction assembly due toits area but in addition it entraps a considerable mass of Water withinthe cone which serves as a reaction mass. Therefore reaction assemblyprovides a substantially stable reference platform against which thepropellant charge reacts. This insures that the propellant charge willbe elfective in driving the anchor assembly forward into the bottom ofthe ocean and insures that the propellant energy will not be dissipatedby moving the reaction as sembly upward through the water. The sealedpiston head 48 should be adjacent to the forward end of the anchorassembly initially so that the propellant charge will be confined duringa considerable separating movement and thus be more effective inprojecting the anchor assembly. In addition the use of the shearingcross pin 51 insures that the combustion of the propellant charge willbe well progressed and a relatively high pressure achieved before theanchor starts to separate from the reaction assembly.

In actual practice anchors incorporating this invention have been foundto provide anchoring forces many times as great as the anchor weightthus making the anchor particularly suitable for permanent moorings orfor emergency use where positive anchorage is essential.

' Although a preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated, itwill be realized that various modifications of the structural detailsmay be made without departing from the mode of operation and the essenceof the invention. Therefore, except insofar as they are claimed in theappended claims, structural details may be varied widely withoutmodifying the mode of operation. Accordingly, the appended claims andnot the aforesaid detailed description are determinative of the scope ofthe invention.

I'claim:

1. An embedment anchor comprising a tubular anchor assembly, a reactionassembly formed with a plunger extending into said tubular anchorassembly and an open conical portion at the rearward end thereof theapex of which faces toward said anchor assembly, an explosive chargebetween said anchor assembly and plunger operable to separate saidanchor assembly and reaction assembly by driving said anchor assemblyaway from said reaction assembly and means igniting said charge uponengagement of the anchor assembly with a solid material.

2. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material at the bottomof a body of water comprising a tubular anchor assembly, a reactionassembly formed with a plunger extending into said tubular anchorassembly and an open conical portion at the rearward end thereof theapex of which is adjacent to the said anchor assembly, an explosivecharge in said anchor assembly operable to separate said anchor assemblyand reaction assembly by exerting a separating force between saidplunger and said anchor assembly, means rotatably and longitudinallymovably mounted on the anchor assembly and the means rotating and movinglongitudinally on the anchor assembly as the anchor descends through thewater to prevent detonation of the explosive charge until the anchorreaches a predetermined depth in the water and means igniting saidcharge upon engagement ofthe anchor assembly with the body of materialat the bottom or" the body of water.

3. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material at the bottomof a body of water comprising a tubular anchor assembly having externalthreads thereon, a reaction assembly formed with a plunger extendinginto said tubular anchor assembly and an open conical portion at therearward end thereof the apex of which is adjacent to the said anchorassembly, an explosive charge in said anchor assembly operable toseparate said anchor assembly and reaction assembly by exerting aseparating force between said plunger and said anchor assembly, apropeller wheel having internal threads in engagement with the externalthreads on the anchor assembly and the propeller wheel rotating andmoving longitudinally of the anchor assembly on the external threads ofthe anchor assembly as the anchor descends through the water to preventdetonation of the explosive charge until the anchor reaches apredetermined depth in the water and means igniting said charge uponengagement of the anchor assembly with the body of material at thebottom of the body of water.

4. An embedment anchor comprising a tubular anchor assembly, a reactionassembly formed with a plunger extending into said tubular anchorassembly and an open conical portion at the rearward end thereof theapex of which is adjacent to the said anchor assembly, an explosivecharge in said anchor assembly operable to separate said anchor assemblyand reaction assembly by driving said plunger out of said anchorassembly, means igniting said charge upon engagement of the anchorassembly with a solid material, and cable means connected to saidreaction assembly on the axis of said conical portion for lowering theanchor into the water, said cable means including a portion of slackcable connecting said anchor assembly and reaction assembly.

5. An embedment anchor comprising a tubular anchor assembly, a reactionassembly formed with a plunger extending into said tubular anchorassembly and an open conical portion at the rearward end thereof theapex of which is adjacent to the said anchor assembly, a shear elementconnecting said anchor assembly and reaction assembly, an explosivecharge between said anchor assembly and reaction assembly operable toshear said shear element and to separate said anchor assembly andreaction assembly by driving said anchor assembly away from saidplunger, means igniting said charge upon engagement of the anchorassembly with a solid material, and cable means connected to saidreaction assembly on the axis of said conical portion for lowering theanchor into the water, said cable means including a portion of slackcable connected to said anchor assembly intermediate its ends.

6. An embedment anchor comprising an anchor assembly, a reactionassembly, an explosive charge between said assemblies operable toseparate said reaction assembly from said anchor assembly and embed itin the earth, an anchor cable connected to said react-ion assembly forlowering said embedment anchor into the water, and a slack length ofcable connected at one end to said anchor assembly at a pointintermediate its ends and connected at its other end to said anchorcable, said reaction assembly including an open conical rearward endoperating to entrap liquid during the separation of said anchor rassembly from said reaction assembly and provide stability during thelowering of the anchor into the water.

7. An embedment anchor comprising a tubular anchor assembly, a reactionassembly formed with a plunger extending into said tubular anchorassembly and a reaction portion at the rearward end thereof, anexplosive charge in said anchor assembly operable to separate saidanchor assembly and reaction assembly by driving said anchor assemblyaway from said reaction assembly, and means igniting said charge uponengagement of the anchor assembly with a solid material, said meansincluding a propeller rotatable under the influence of motion of theanchor through water connected to prevent ignition of said charge untilsaid propeller rotates through a pre-determined number of revolutions.

8. An embedment anchor comprising a tubular anchor assembly, a reactionassembly formed with a plunger extending into said tubular anchorassembly and an open conical portion at the rearward end thereof theapex of which is adjacent to the said anchor assembly, an explosivecharge in said anchor assembly operable to separate said anchor assemblyand reaction assembly by driving said plunger out of said anchorassembly, a nose element connected to move to an operated position underthe influence of engagement with a solid material, and operable toignite said charge upon movement to said position, a propeller threadedto said anchor assembly rotatable under the influence of movement ofsaid anchor through water operable to prevent movement of said noseelement to said position until said propeller rotates a predeterminednumber of revolutions, and cable means connected to said reactionassembly on the axis of said conical portion for lowering the anchorinto the water, said cable means including a portion of slack cableconnecting said anchor assembly and reaction assembly.

9. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material at the bottomof a body of water comprising, an anchor body adapted to anchor withinsaid body of material, a reaction member mated with said anchor body andsaid anchor body being movable relatively to said reaction member in adirection away from said re action member, propulsion means to provideforce acting on the anchor body and the reaction member to propel theanchor body away from said reaction member, and said reaction memberincluding an enlarged reaction portion extending laterally beyond theanchor body to generate a mass reaction of water behind the reactionmember opposing the force of the propulsion means on the reaction memberfor propulsion of the anchor body away from the reaction member and intosaid body of material.

10. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material at thebottom of a body of water comprising, an anchor body adapted toanchor'within said body of material, a reaction member mated with saidanchor body and said anchor body being movable relatively to saidreaction member in a direction away from said reaction member, ignitiblepropulsion means to provide force upon ignition acting on the anchorbody and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away from saidreaction member, said reaction member including an enlarged reactionportion extending laterally beyond the anchor body to generate a massreaction of water behind the reaction member opposing the force of thepropulsion means on the reaction member for propulsion of the anchorbody away from the reaction member and into said body of material, andmeans to ignite the propulsion means upon contact of the embedmentanchor with the body of material at the bottom of the body of water.

11. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material at thebottom of a body of water comprising, an anchor body adapted to anchorwithin said body of material, a reaction member mated with said anchor 67 body and said anchor body being movable relatively to said reactionmember in a direction away from said reaction member, propulsion meansto provide force acting on the anchor body and the reaction member topropel the anchor body away from said reaction member, and said reactionmember including an enlarged reaction portion to generate a massreaction of water behind the reaction member opposing the force of thepropulsion means on the reaction member for propulsion of the anchorbody away from the reaction member and into said body of material.

12. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material comprising,an anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, areaction member mated with said anchor body and said anchor body beingmovable relatively to said reaction member in a directionaway from saidreaction member, propulsion means to provide force acting on the anchorbody and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away from saidreaction member, said reaction member including an enlarged reactionportion to generate a mass reaction opposing the force of the propulsionmeans on the reaction member for propulsion of the anchor body away fromthe reaction member and into said body of material, and means securingsaid anchor body to said reaction member adapted to be broken by theforce of said propulsion means to release the anchor body from thereaction member.

13. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material comprising,an anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, areaction member mated with said anchor body and said anchor body beingmovable relatively to, said reaction member in a direction away fromsaid reaction member, a closed chamber formed by the anchor body and thereaction member and disposed between the anchor body and the reactionmember, propulsion means in said chamber adapted to act between theanchor body and the reaction member to provide force acting on theanchor body and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away fromsaid reaction member, and said reaction member including an enlargedreaction portion to generate a mass reaction opposing the force of thepropulsion means on the reaction member for propulsion of the anchorbody away from the reaction member and into said body of material.

14. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material comprising,an anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, areaction member mated with said anchor body and said anchor body beingmovable relatively to said reaction member in a direction away from saidreaction member, propulsion means to provide force acting on the anchorbody and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away from saidreaction member, and said reaction member including an enlarged reactionportion to generate a mass reaction opposing the force of the propulsionmeans on the reaction member for propulsion of the anchor body away fromthe reaction member and into said body of material.

15. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material comprising,an anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, areaction member mated with said anchor body and said anchor body beingmovable relatively to said reaction member in a direction away from saidreaction member, propulsion means to provide force acting on the anchorbody and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away from saidreac tion member, and said reaction member including an enlargedreaction portion extending laterally beyond the anchor body to generatea mass reaction opposing the force of the propulsion means on thereaction member for propulsion of the anchor body away from the reactionmember and into said body of material.

7 16. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of materialcomprising, an anchor body adapted to anchor within said body ofmaterial, a reaction member mated with said anchor body and said anchorbody being movable relatively to said reaction member in a directionaway from said reaction member, propulsion means to provide force actingon the anchor body and the reaction member to propel the anchor bodyaway from said reaction member, and said reaction member including anenlarged reaction portion extending laterally beyond the anchor body andhaving a recessed configuration facing in a direction opposite to thedirection of movement of the anchor body to generate a mass reactionopposing the force of the propulsion means on the reaction member forpropulsion of the anchor body away from the reaction member and intosaid body of material.

17. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material comprising,an anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, areaction member mated with said anchor body and said anchor body beingmovable relatively to said reaction member in a direction away from saidreaction member, propulsion means to provide force acting on the anchorbody and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away from saidreaction member, and said reaction member including an enlarged reactionportion extending laterally beyond the anchor body comprising a wallextending in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of theanchor body to form the enlarged reaction portion with a recessedconfiguration to generate a mass reaction opposing the force of thepropulsion means on the reaction member for propulsion of the anchorbody away from the reaction member and into said body of material.

18. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material comprising,an anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, areaction member mated with said anchor body and said anchor body beingmovable relatively to said reaction member in a direction away from saidreaction member, propulsion means to provide force acting on the anchorbody and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away from saidreaction member, and said reaction member including an enlarged reactionportion extending laterally beyond the anchor body and having a conicalconfiguration opening in a direction opposite to the direction ofmovement of the anchor body to generate a mass reaction opposing theforce of the propulsion means on the reaction member for propulsion ofthe anchor body away from the reaction member and into said body ofmaterial.

19. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material comprising,a tubular anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, areaction member having a plunger adapted to be received in said tubularanchor body and said anchor body being movable relatively to saidreaction member in a direction away from said reaction member, a chamberformed between the tubular anchor body and the plunger, propulsion meansin said chamber to provide force acting between the tubular anchor bodyand the plunger to propel the anchor body away from said reactionmember, and said reaction member including an enlarged reaction portionextending laterally beyond the anchor body to generate a mass reactionopposing the force of the propulsion means on the reaction member forpropulsion of the anchor body away from the reaction member and intosaid body of material.

20. An embedment anchor for anchoring to a body of material comprising,an anchor body adapted to anchor within said body of material, areaction member mated with said anchor body and said anchor body beingmovable relatively to said reaction member in a direction away from saidreaction member, propulsion means to provide force acting on the anchorbody and the reaction member to propel the anchor body away from saidreaction member, said reaction member including an enlarged reactionportion extending laterally beyond the anchor body to generate a massreaction opposing the force of the propulsion means on the reactionmember for propulsion of the anchor body away from the reaction memberand into said body of material, and a shear pin securing the anchor bodyto the reaction member adapted to be sheared by the force of thepropulsion means to release the anchor body from the reaction member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS856,791 Mingus June 11, 1907 870,639 Nielsen Nov. 12, 1907 1,957,285Oehrnichen May 1, 1934 2,409,205 Graumann Oct. 15, 1946 2,993,461 FeilerJuly 25, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 226,931 Germany Oct. 11, 1910

